A 2-year-old girl was attacked by a skunk in her family's backyard and Weymouth Animal Control told the family that the animal tested positive for rabies.Betty Bennette, the child's grandmother, said the skunk wandered onto their Neck Street property around 5:30 p.m. Monday. The animal charged at the family and went after her granddaughter Fatima."I saw the skunk latch onto her and I saw (my daughter-in-law) Mai come in and swoop in," Bennette said. "Mai picked up the baby and was screaming and kicking (the skunk) and fighting it until, finally, she had the baby up and the skunk was hanging from the baby's leg. Finally, the skunk let go and dropped."Officials said the skunk also went after firefighters, who killed the animal with a shovel.Fatima, who was bitten and scratched by the skunk, has been treated at a hospital and will have to go back for more shots, but the family said she is OK.Bennette said they received the call from Weymouth Animal Control on Tuesday afternoon.

WEYMOUTH, Mass. —

A 2-year-old girl was attacked by a skunk in her family's backyard and Weymouth Animal Control told the family that the animal tested positive for rabies.

Betty Bennette, the child's grandmother, said the skunk wandered onto their Neck Street property around 5:30 p.m. Monday. The animal charged at the family and went after her granddaughter Fatima.

Advertisement

"I saw the skunk latch onto her and I saw (my daughter-in-law) Mai come in and swoop in," Bennette said. "Mai picked up the baby and was screaming and kicking (the skunk) and fighting it until, finally, she had the baby up and the skunk was hanging from the baby's leg. Finally, the skunk let go and dropped."

Officials said the skunk also went after firefighters, who killed the animal with a shovel.

Fatima, who was bitten and scratched by the skunk, has been treated at a hospital and will have to go back for more shots, but the family said she is OK.

Bennette said they received the call from Weymouth Animal Control on Tuesday afternoon.